1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to new synthetic plant growth substances and more particularly to such substances that are safe and readily biodegradable.
2. Description of Art
Plant growth substances occupy an important place in the growth and developmental processes of all plant species. The pioneers in plant growth substances, Charles Darwin, Boycen-Jensen, and others, recognized that plant growth phenomenon was under control of some chemical substances produced by the plants and in 1928 F. W. Went successfully demonstrated the existence of growth-regulating substances in plants. The plant growth hormones, auxins from oat seedlings, and gibberellins from a fungus, and several secondary plant products such as phenolics, lipids, steroids and terpenoids were shown to be responsible for plant growth and development. Some of the latter elicit growth responses in conjunction with the endogenous growth hormones. Certain synthetic compounds, although different than the natural growth substances, also induce similar biological responses.